The Rainbows Lounge

TDawgRex
reply to post by Gordi The Drummer

 

It looks rather arid...no offense. Is it really?

But it still looks like a place I'd like to visit. If anything, to be banned from yet another country.

OK...only France has banned me...but they had it coming!

Couldn't be further from the truth Dawgbro!
Scotland is one of the wettest feckin' places you can imagine!!
But that does make it... Lush and Green!
I just prefer finding more... desolate and intriguing places to photograph! and they're often quite rocky / hilly.
G

reply to post by Gordi The Drummer


I've been to Scotland a few times in the past to visit cousins. And while the coast and the pic of you up in the hills looks familiar, the rest don't. Sorry...I must be getting old or just was never in the area. Frikkin' memory.

You are right though. Other than Seattle area, Scotland has to be the wettest place I have ever been.

TDawgRex
reply to post by Gordi The Drummer

 

I've been to Scotland a few times in the past to visit cousins. And while the coast and the pic of you up in the hills looks familiar, the rest don't. Sorry...I must be getting old or just was never in the area. Frikkin' memory.

You are right though. Other than Seattle area, Scotland has to be the wettest place I have ever been.

You must have got lucky in Scotland / unlucky in Seattle! LOL 'cause I can assure you... Scotland is MUCH rainier than Seattle.

Annual rainfall in;
Glasgow, Scotland = 49 inches.
and Seattle = 37.4 inches!

(figures from wiki)

G

Gordi The Drummer

Annual rainfall in;
Glasgow, Scotland = 49 inches.
and Seattle = 37.4 inches!

(figures from wiki)

G

When I was stationed at Ft. Lewis, WA, I used to joke that the drivers didn't know how to drive when it was sunny and dry. But it really wasn't that far off from the truth.

It didn't seem to rain a whole lot...just a mist that fell most of the year. Drive a hour or two east and you were in high plains desert and sunny and dry. Weird State.

This was the area I was in. www.nps.gov...

Drenched in over 12 feet of rain a year, Olympic's west side valleys flourish with North America's best remaining examples of temperate rain forest. Giant western hemlocks, Douglas-firs and Sitka spruce trees dominate the landscape while ferns and moss cloak the trees and forest floor. In these valleys, even the air seems green.

reply to post by Gordi The Drummer


That deer photo is beautiful, the backdrop seems so epic and just out of focus enough to have the deer in the spotlight, yet just enough to appreciate the beauty. The other photos were really nice too (snowy mountain one, what a place!) but it was that deer that is really memorable. Thanks for posting!

reply to post by TDawgRex


Arid!....Hahahahaha....shall I tell him, or will you Gordy?

Rainbows
Jane

PS....Awww you did.....*flitsoff back to The Shed*

reply to post by Qumulys


Thank you qum!
Much appreciated.
G

angelchemuel
reply to post by TDawgRex

 

Arid!....Hahahahaha....shall I tell him, or will you Gordy?

Rainbows
Jane

PS....Awww you did.....*flitsoff back to The Shed*

edit on 11-3-2014 by angelchemuel because: (no reason given)

OK Woman, that's it. *Stomps foot!*. I'm pretty sure that 12 feet of rain over comes a mere Glasgow, Scotland = 49 inches.

Just saying. And I hated every minute of it.

It's actually recorded. Washington State is a weird place when it comes to weather.

reply to post by TDawgRex


I'm off to bed TDawg....
Your on guard with Night and Foss btw....
Nos Da
Rainbows
Jane

angelchemuel
reply to post by TDawgRex

 

I'm off to bed TDawg....
Your on guard with Night and Foss btw....

Nos Da
Rainbows
Jane

Guard duty again!

Crap! What did I do wrong this time!

reply to post by TDawgRex


*gently pats TDawgs head as he snores on the sofa*
You did nothing wrong TDawg....I'll take over the day shift now

Rainbows
Jane

reply to post by angelchemuel


Great...now I'm awake again. No biggie though as I can always take a nap later.

Napping seems to be what I'm good at these days.

Getting plenty of sleep...but no real rest. It's annoying. I really need to learn how to shut my brain down when I sleep.

reply to post by TDawgRex


Oh.....that's not good....not good at all!
*goes off wondering what she can do to help TDawg and NightStar*

Rainbows
Jane

angelchemuel
reply to post by TDawgRex

 

Oh.....that's not good....not good at all!
*goes off wondering what she can do to help TDawg and NightStar*

Rainbows
Jane

It's weird. My naps seem to be more resting than a actual eight hours of sleep. I can remember my dreams after a nap. I have no idea if I even dream when I sleep.

Maybe I should read up a bit on Einsteins sleep habits. From what I understand, his sleep cycle was all screwy as well. But then again, he did help invent the Nuke...so maybe that's not the way to go. Me and my mind? All hell could break loose.

reply to post by TDawgRex


No,no,no....he only came up with the theory of how to split the atom....he was very vocal and voracious in his attempts to stop nukes being built.....he was a pacifist which resulted in him being ignored and almost ostracised by his 'adopted' country

Rainbows
Jane

reply to post by angelchemuel


Well, Einstein, Oppenheimer and others all had a hand in it and all were pretty vocal against using it as a weapon. And to be truthful, if it wasn't them, then maybe someone else with even less of a conscience would have come around later. We can't say we weren't warned.

Here's another of my paintings, couldn't get the leaves to look right, and the trunk was a bit weird.


Moss grows MOSTLY on the northern side of a tree in the northern hemisphere (opposite in the southern), so your assessment is right. Some highlights on the right side of the trees for the moss would 'fix' them to your satisfaction, I think. Don't forget to put in highlights from the direction of light to give 'life' to the painting! The rays of light are stunning ! I love the feeling they convey!
You seem to have a natural aptitude for capturing the essence of trees-did you climb a lot as a child? lol I love the leaves, other than the fact that they are 'over worked', making them 'muddy'....learn to stop when it's not going right, walk away, and come back later.
Do you have a reducing lens? They really are a handy tool for getting instant perspective!
If not, try stepping back, and just barely start to cross your eyes while viewing your work....it will give clues to the strong and weak areas.
I love your paintings, and seeing the world from your perspective; very moving!
Ms.Nugget

reply to post by nugget1


Thanks for the super helpful insights! You are definitely correct that I overworked things. The leaves I must have gone over 5 times trying to get them right. This was my first proper painting I had tried and paint is pricey for me, and I hadn't realised how important white was. I was using hardly any of it when after strong poppy autumn colours in the leaves, and they turned out flat. I think it's because I need more contrasting areas of lightness/darkness to get the colour to pop. Thankyou for giving it to me straight, it helps me to find my weaknesses and where I need to improve.
With the moss, I had tried to get some highlights in there, but it doesn't sit well on the tree because the highlights (light green) seem to have melted in to the paint below and gone darker over night. Each time I tried to fix it the moss became flatter and flatter. Frustrating it was! (The photo has taken a bit of contrast out though, taking photo's of paintings is tricky!)
So next time, I'm going to rough things in then stop like you say and walk back, un-focus my eyes and try and see where I'm trying to head, and where isn't working. Then come back the next day. Your advice is so obvious now you've said it, I know this theory from working at audio mixing - to come back to it a day or two later with 'fresh ears'.

Just a question. My next painting is pretty big, and I was thinking of trying a castle, or farmhouse right in the backdrop in a valley. The valley was going to be done in light shades of yellow and pale greens with a thin delta of rivers reflecting sunlight. In the foreground would be stronger colours of a ridge with a tree, and clouds in backdrop.
Now, what I'm not quite clear on is with the 1/3 2/3 rules. Should I be putting the farmhouse in the background - light area on one of the third points? Or since it is a light area, but background, should it not be on those 1/3rd points? I really wish I could go back to school and take a painting course!

reply to post by Qumulys


You are using acrylics, right? Oil is my expertize, but I do know composition fairly well.

My eye tells me whats wrong, but my knowledge can't always tell how to fix it!

A fan brush, or mop brush is essential for leaves, IMO; they almost paint themselves with the right ones! Good brushes aren't cheap, but I would rather do a whole painting with one high-quality brush than a slew of cheap ones. It makes all the difference in the world, trust me! If you take proper care of the, ie cleaning deep into the ferrule, after each use they will last your lifetime. I have brushes that are 25 years old, and still perfect.

There is a lot of information on line, and in books for beginning painters. They most important thing you can learn is what not to do.
Honestly, I would almost hate to see you take lessons, as most (affordable) teachers will teach you 'their' style- and I think it might hold you back( or even 'corrupt'?) your natural talent.

(Your trees can be 'fixed', and I really want to see you happy with them....)

After your response, Ill get to your next painting...if you tell me the canvas size.

Ms.Nugget

reply to post by Qumulys


Okay, some basics her. I haven't painted in years, due to health reasons, but fundamentals keep coming back to me.

The human eye wants to naturally gravitate to the center of the painting, so that will be your main focal point-or 'story' you are telling.
Dark colors recede! They draw your eye 'deep' into the painting.
The colors get lighter the closer the foreground is.Never start anything 9Building,trees,sky,mountains)on the dead center line, either vertically, or horizontally; in cuts the painting 'in half'. The subconscious mind doesn't like that, and it creates an unsettled feeling.
"Plant' your trees. They don't 'sit' on top of the ground- they come from beneath it. You broke that rule already! lol But you did it right; the perspective you presented makes me feel as if I'm standing under the tree looking up; it was the awesome sun rays that made that work. That's why I said you have to 'learn the rules' before you can break them.
You want the scene to draw the eye 'into' the painting. Having a river going straight off the canvas will draw your eye 'out' of the painting, so you would want it to curve horizontally before leaving, and cover the canvas edge with something-tree, rock, shrub.

That's probably enough for one post; maybe too much?
Thank you for allowing me to share a bit of knowledge with you!
Ms.Nugget